Credit: Mick Wattam, Shutterstock
Save
It’s certainly no secret that over on this little corner of the internet, we’re rather fond of big city life. But even we (the most devoted London-lovers) can admit that the prospect of hotfooting it out of the capital every once in a while is pretty darn appealing. Especially when the direction we’re heading in is towards one of the Britain’s quaint, quiet, and oh-so quintessential villages.
There’s no shortage of gasp-inducingly gorgeous villages within easy reach of London. You know, the kind that look like they’ve, quite literally, been plucked from the pages of a fairytale. But if you’re looking for one that should be immediately plonked at the top of your must-visit list, please allow us to give you gentle nudge towards Lavenham.
This picture-perfect village is considered to be the most well-preserved medieval village in England. And if you want to feel like you’ve travelled back to the medieval times (without the inconvenience of having to locate a time machine), you needn’t look any further than this small-but-might spot, less than two hours from London.
Credit: Andrew Fletcher, Shutterstock The village of Lavenham
Lavenham is picturesquely perched in Suffolk; bursting at the seams with history and charm. It was recently named one of Britain’s most underrated places to visit by the Telegraph, and it’s certainly not hard to see why. The village of Lavenham dates back to the Saxon times but grew rich thanks to the wool trade. In the Tudor times, it was thought to be the 14th wealthiest town in England, which – considering its size – is no mean feat.
Lavenham is filled to the brim with charming timber-framed houses (most of which date all the way back to the 15th century), winding lanes to wander, and plenty of places to eat, drink, and shop. The village is also home to a whopping 340 listed buildings, including Lavenham Church (that stands at a rather impressive 141 feet tall) and Lavenham Guildhall (which is sat slap-bang in the middle of the medieval town’s market place and hold regular exhibitions on Lavenham’s lengthy history).
Credit: Gareth L Evans, Shutterstock
Lavenham is home to a plethora of cosy pubs, excellent eateries, quaint cafes and tearooms, and a whole host of antique shops. And other iconic buildings dotted around the village include the famous ‘Crooked House‘ and the rather beautiful De Vere House. Let’s just say, you won’t be short of gorgeous things to gawp at whilst visiting Lavenham. You might even recognise some of the buildings here if you’re a particularly big Potter-fan, as the village was seen on screen as ‘Godric’s Hollow’ in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Not bad, hey?
Getting to Lavenham from London
It takes around an hour and 45 minutes to drive to Lavenham from London, and there’s plenty of pay and display parking available once you arrive. Non-drivers can hop on a train from London Liverpool Street and head to Sudbury via Marks Tey. Lavenham is then a local bus ride from there.